Flood Sacks Mortuary: Attendants pile corpses on roof tops

THE  flood that  caused havoc across the country has sacked the General Hospital, Patani in Patani Local Government Area of Delta State, forcing officials to stack corpses  evacuated from the morgue on an emergency platform that had been inventively constructed  between the ceiling and roof of the endangered health institution.
Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Otumara, confirmed, yesterday, that several other government hospitals were affected by the  flood, including the one in Patani, but said he had not received any  report concerning the movement of corpses.
However, coordinator of  the Rural Health Africa Initiative, RAHI, a  non-governmental organization, which is on ground,  catering for the  victims of  the flood  in Patani and surrounding communities, Dr.  Chris Ekiyor, told Sunday Vanguard, “We saw corpses from the morgue of the Patani hospital affected by the flood floating on the waters, some were standing leg deep in the flood, and others in different awkward position”.
He added, “This was at the initial stage of the flood, but I must commend the mortuary attendant and other officials of the hospital; they understood the effect of the corpses that were washed away by  the flood from the morgue, what I saw is not a mortuary, but they were embalming corpses there. They salvaged the corpses from the flood and loaded them up on an over-the –roof platform”.
Ekiyor, who spoke  at the RAHI Relief Camp for Flood Victims, situated at New Town, Patani, along the East-West Road, continued: “My concern, among other things,  is that there are many shallow graves in this area, and, besides drowned animals like dogs and goats, other dead bodies might have been dug up by the rampaging flood.
“Some of the villagers have not only been fishing in this contaminated body of water, but also cooking with it. It was not until we started educating them on the dangers of what they were doing that they stopped, because they took the floodwater as part of their normal river and were washing with it, fishing inside, bathing and cooking with it”.
The RAHI coordinator  pointed out that if not that the mortuary attendant in Patani hospital acted quickly, the floating corpses from the morgue would have been decomposing by now and formed part of the mass of the floodwater that the people were cooking and bathing with.

                                                     
“This is not a story, RAHI witnessed it, we have been here for more 22 days, there is no other group attending to the health of the victims of the disaster in this area, but us. We also know the kind of cases that the patients are presenting; there are more than 3,000 flood victims in our camp. We feed them and attend to their health problems.
Commissioner Otumara, who opined that there might not be an epidemic because of  the measures the state government  had put in place, said, “Many government hospitals in Patani, Bomadi, Ogriagbane and other communities were affected by the flood, but are we concerned, first and foremost, by the safety of the people. So, we moved them to government relief camps, there are about 20 of them, where doctors, nurses and other health officials attend to them”.
.................... Courtesy Vanguard newspaper

At least 3 killed in new Kaduna church blast

KADUNA (AFP) – An attacker attempted to slam a car bomb into a church during service on Sunday, killing at least three people, including himself, while wounding others, a rescue official said on Sunday.

At least three people have been killed and dozens injured in a suicide bombing during mass at a Catholic church in northern Nigeria, officials say.

The attack happened in Kaduna, scene of many sectarian attacks.
The blast was caused by at least one vehicle being driven towards the church loaded with explosives, witnesses said. The building was badly damaged.
At least one person was killed in reprisal attacks by Christians after the bombing.
Reports said an angry Christian mob took to the streets armed with sticks and knives.
No group has said it carried out the bombing, but Islamist group Boko Haram has been involved in several similar attacks in the area.
A spokesman for the local governor has called for calm. Speaking on local radio, he pleaded with people not to retaliate.The attack happened at St Rita's church in the Malali neighbourhood of the city.
Reports say a car drove up to the gate of the church, was refused entry and detonated its explosives outside the church.
The church was surrounded by soldiers and police after the blast, and ambulances were taking the injured to hospital.
Nigeria is roughly divided between a largely Muslim north, and the south, where Christianity and traditional religions dominate.
Kaduna is on the dividing line between the two areas. The BBC's Will Ross in Kaduna says many people have come to the city in recent months in search of sanctuary from violence in other parts of northern Nigeria.

                                                 

Boko Haram is fighting to overthrow the government and impose Sharia law, and has admitted carrying out previous attacks on churches.
In June it attacked three churches in the state of Kaduna, including one in the city.
At least 50 people were killed in the bombings and the reprisals that followed.

Man, 4 children meet their demise in Enugu after consuming Poisoned corn meal

Residents of Mbu Apochi community in Isi-uzo local government area of Enugu State were recently thrown into panic and confusion following the tragic death of a man simply identified as Mr. Charles Nnadi and his four children after taking a corn and cassava meal believed to have been poisoned.

The tragedy has since thrown the entire community into heavy pandemonium while members of the Nnadi family are still in shock and disbelief.

              

According to reliable sources, the late Nnadi and his six children fell sick and unconscious after eating the mixture of cassava and corn flour and were rushed to St. Mark’s Hospital, Eha-Amufu by sympathizers but the doctor confirmed the family head and two of his children died few minutes after their arrival.

Following their demise, the four other victims, who were admitted along with them were transferred to a trado-medical hospital at Enugu-Ezike, Igbo Eze North local government where two of the children later passed on.
It was gathered that the remaining two are currently struggling between life and death at the hospital.

Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the shocking incident on Saturday said that the operatives of the state command are currently investigating the incident to unravel the mystery and circumstances behind the alleged incident of food poisoning.

Sympathizers and relations of the deceased described the incident as tragic and shocking and called on law-enforcement agencies to investigate whether the food poisoning was masterminded by someone, stressing that such heinous act has become rampant in the Coal state recently.

Senator asked Boko Haram to threaten Adoke – SSS

The State Security Service on Wednesday told an Abuja Federal High Court that Senator Aliyu Ndume asked a self-confessed spokesman of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, Ali Kodunga (a.ka Al-Zawahiri), to call and threaten the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,Mohammed  Adoke (SAN).

Konduga has since been convicted on two counts of criminal breach of public trust and intimidation through anonymous communication. He is currently serving a three-year prison term.

The SSS said it made the discovery when Ndume’s mobile telephone  call logs were analysed during investigations. The Senator  is facing terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government.

On June 14, 2012, a Federal High Court in Abuja presided by Justice Gabriel Kolawole,  ruled that Ndume must face trial on four counts of terrorism .

The court also dismissed a motion filed by his counsel, Chief Rickey Tarfa (SAN), seeking the dissolution of the charges against him. Ndume is accused of having links with  Boko Haram and also being involved in its activities.

When the trial resumed on Wednesday, a chief investigative officer in the SSS, Mr. James Inneh, told the court that Ndume gave Adoke’s phone number to Konduga.

The Senator in Court

                                  

According to Inneh, the alleged threat by Konduga  was to force the AGF to influence the outcome of the election tribunal sitting in Borno State in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Inneh said , “Konduga, in his confessional statement told the SSS that Ndume gave him the phone number of the AGF to threaten him (AGF) that they would make Borno State ungovernable if he did not ensure that the Borno State Election Petition Tribunal gave judgment in favour of the PDP.”

The agent admitted that Ndume gave some materials he obtained from Boko Haram to Vice-President Namadi Sambo and the Director-General of the SSS, while he served as a member of the Presidential Committee on Security Challenges in the North-East.

 Inneh said, “We investigated his claim by using our tradecraft. We did not have any audience with the VP but we investigated. His (Ndume) phones were sent to experts for analysis and after the phones were analysed, we did not tell him about our findings.

“He was not there when the analyses were  carried out. Some of the materials we took from his house were laptops, GSM phones, an international passport and other things.”

Inneh said he could not recall if Ndume had written a letter to the Inspector-General of Police to ask for protection.

  Justice Kolawole, however,  adjourned the trial to November 1- 5 and December 11, 2012.

Ndume had asked the court to acquit him of the charges, arguing that the proof of evidence filed by the prosecution did not link him with the sect.

Ndume said his alleged relationship with Konduga, which formed the basis of the charges against him, came as a result of his membership of the presidential committee set up to address the security challenges in the North-East.

Senator Aliyu Ndume

                           

Ndume told the court that before his appointment as a member of the committee, he had no contact with Konduga or any other member of the sect.

However, in a counter-affidavit, the prosecution counsel, Mrs. Olufumilayo Fatunde, had asked the court to hold that Ndume’s trial must proceed summarily in line with Section 33(2) of the Federal High Court Act.

Ruling on the matter, the court maintained that, after studying the charges brought against the Senator, it found that he had a case to answer.

Kolawole said, “There is a link between the accused person and the offences listed in counts one to four.

“The mere presence of a probable defense to a criminal charge is not enough to quash the charge. The fact that an accused person denied the charges is not enough to quash the charges. There is a link between the accused person and some members of the Boko Haram.”

(as reported by the Punch newspaper) 

Chris Hemsworth shoots fight scene for Thor 2: The Dark World in Surrey

Chris Hemsworth has been spotted filming a fight sequence on the set of Thor 2: The Dark World, clutching his character's famous hammer.

The actor, 29, was pictured shooting the Marvel follow-up in Bourne Woods, Surrey.

Wearing Thor's armour and a long red cape, Hemsworth was seen brandishing a giant hammer as he shot scenes with Jaimie Alexander who plays Sif, a warrior goddess of Asgard.

Chris Hemsworth gets to grips with his hammer (Picture: Xposurephotos.com)

                         
Hemsworth, who plays the God of Thunder, was also seen chatting to his stunt double, dressed up to look exactly like him.

Extras wearing helmets and battle gear were seen fighting while explosions were detonated around the set.
The plot for Thor 2 has been kept tightly under wraps but speculation is rife that the warrior will be battline the Dark Elves.

The rumor was sparked after Christopher Eccleston was cast as Malekith the Accursed, who is the ruler of the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim.

Chris Hemsworth reprises his role as Thor in the new movie (Picture: Xposurephotos.com)

                                 

Hemsworth told /Film of the upcoming movie: 'I love that sort of mythical element, that there was an organic real world there, and I think Asgard and Thor’s ethereal universe could be injected with that. It could be more sort of tangible.

'So more locations, less green screen. I think the Viking influence that that sort of world came from. It should feel tangible. It should exist more, instead of too shiny, clean, golden.'

                            

Thor 2: The Dark World promises to be explosive (Picture: Xposurephotos.com)


Game of

Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor is behind the camera with the cast featuring Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Kat Dennings, Idris Elba, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgard and Zachary Levi.
Thor: The Dark World is scheduled for release in November 2013.

Chris Hemsworth's stunt double gets to work (Picture: Xposurephotos.com)

Skyfall star Daniel Craig: I won’t outstay my welcome as James Bond

Daniel Craig has vowed he won't 'outstay' his welcome as James Bond after signing on to two more 007 films ahead of the premiere of the latest movie, Skyfall.

The actor, who is 44, has joked that he will soon be too old to play the womanising spy.

Craig quipped that he would be too old to play the action hero 'at 44 and three quarters'.

But the star is contracted to do two more Bond films after Skyfall and promised he wouldn't stay in the role if fans got sick of him.

He told Metro.co.uk: 'I will keep going as long as I can. I am contracted for two more and that seems like a fair few.

Daniel Craig has signed up to two more Bond film

'But I am not going to outstay my welcome. Someone else will have to have the chance to have a crack at this.'

Craig joked that he decided to sign up for two more films for 'money'.

'No, not even slightly,' he backtracked.

'I love playing it. It's an honour to play it. I really get a big kick out of doing it.

'I had an opportunity when they gave me Casino Royale to wipe the slate clean because they said we're beginning again.'

He added: 'I'm a huge fan of what has gone before and I've always wanted those elements back in but I couldn't just do a movie and say "I'll straighten the tie" and "I'll do the martini" because it's all been done.

'It had to happen in the right way and I feel like we've done that now by introducing new characters and old characters into this one we've got somewhere to go and for me as an actor that's exciting.'

Craig has revealed in the past that he approached Sam Mendes, who he worked with on Road To Perdition in 2002, to direct Skyfall.
He explained: 'I was at a party and Sam was there. He doesn’t drink, so he was sober, but I wasn’t.

'I picked his brains about the next movie and we talked about the things we loved about Bond movies.

'I offered him the job, which wasn’t my job to do.'
The actor said he was keen to work with Mendes again on another Bond movie but the decision was out of his hands.

He said: 'I would like to work with Sam again but it’s not my decision. Most movies take three or four months, but this is six, seven, eight months of shooting, so you need an energy level.

'Sam has an abundance of energy and fortunately there is no bigger Bond fan. That’s what I really wanted from a director.'

Skyfall stars Naomie Harris, Daniel Craig and Berenice Malohe will be at the premiere

                            

Mendes has said that he would return to do another Bond film is cinema-goers wanted him to.

He famously admitted that he initially didn't think Craig was the right choice to play 007 but changed his mind after watching Casino Royale.

Sam Mendes (second right) poses with the cast of Skyfall

Craig revealed: 'He apologised, we moved on.'

Skyfall premieres in London tonight and is released in UK cinemas on October 26.

World's oldest dad, 96, fathers second baby in two years

The world's oldest dad, Ramajit Raghav, has beaten his own record after fathering his second child in two years at the age of 96.

Randy Ramjit and his 52-year-old wife, Shakuntala Devi, gave birth to a healthy baby boy earlier this month.
The nonagenarian enjoys a healthy sex life with his partner who says the former wrestler 'can make love like any 25-year-old man'.
As a bachelor for almost nine decades, the pensioner credits his healthy diet as the secret to a long life and abstinence from drugs and alcohol.

Ramajit Ramjit

'I do it three or four times a night,' he told reporters outside his home in Haryana, India. 'My neighbours are jealous and they keep asking me for my secret but all I tell them is that it is God's will.
‘I'm healthy and I enjoy sex with my wife. I think it's very important for a husband and wife to have sex regularly and when she asks I will go on all night but for the sake of my child I've put our needs aside for now.
'I care for my wife and I give her everything she needs. She is a very happy woman.'